Southampton could have a perfect Taylor Harwood-Bellis successor after Watford
Will Taylor Harwood-Bellis play one of his final ever games for Southampton against Watford?
It's not unusual for a Saints star to play one game in the second tier, and then bid the club farewell, with James Ward-Prowse featuring against Sheffield Wednesday right at the start of the 2023/24 campaign, before moving to West Ham United.
It would be a gutting blow, like Ward-Prowse's exit for the London Stadium, if Harwood-Bellis were to leave, with Benfica remaining persistent with their advances.
The latest on Harwood-Bellis' exit
Southampton have already rejected a bid of around the £17m mark from the Portuguese giants.
Indeed, after selling Shea Charles for £30m, Tonda Eckert and Co. will want a lot more cash out of Marco Silva's men than their measly first offer.
There are contrasting figures being circulated, with journalist Jack Rosser stating that the number six's price tag is £25m, while another journalist in Ben Jacobs - who is relatively in the know about transfer developments - has stated that £30m is Harwood-Bellis' valuation.
Benfica aren't just keen on the one-time England international, though, as they cast their net wide, with PSV Eindhoven defender Ryan Flamingo also on their shopping list, according to transfer guru Ekrem Konur.
At the moment, the Lisbon titans are some way off winning the ex-Burnley centre-back's pricey signature, but if the Championship promotion chasers were to lose one of their main assets, they appear to have a successor in mind already...
Southampton could have a perfect successor
Southampton supporters will know that Harwood-Bellis will still put in a professional performance against Watford, despite all this rampant speculation.
The Saints will also be covering their backs in case he does decide a Portuguese getaway is what he wants, with the South Coast side now linked with a move for former Sheffield United centre-back Anel Ahmedhodzic.
Fabrizio Romano broke this news early on Saturday morning, with Ahmedhodzic - who currently resides at Feyenoord - reportedly keen on a return to England, after a successful Blades spell, with the Saints making contact with the Eredivisie giants over a possible move.
He really would be an ideal Harwood-Bellis successor, if the Stockport-born colossus were to move on, as the Bosnian brute is very much cut from the same cloth as the 6-foot-2 defender.
The 2022/23 season in the Championship saw Ahmedhodzic score six goals, when putting his lofty 6-foot-5 frame to good use. The Benfica-linked 24-year-old scored seven times for the Saints last season in Championship action, to add context.
Promotion would come the Blades' way at the end of that memorable campaign at Bramall Lane, with Paul Heckingbottom - who was his manager once upon a time in South Yorkshire - noting that he was "outstanding" during those promotion heroics.
Championship-centric podcast The Second Tier would even refer to him as being "one of the most consistent" defenders in the entire division, right after he packed his bags for the Netherlands.
He would be able to fill the void left behind by the dependable number six's exit well then, as Harwood-Bellis has his own promotion memories with the Saints under Russell Martin.
Equally as calm on the ball and dominant in the air, as well, with five duels won on average during that same season, picking up the Feyenoord number 21 could be a great bit of business, if a mini rebuild is needed after Harwood-Bellis' departure.
Of course, in a perfect world, the £30m-rated defender stays put.
But, with Charles leaving, you shouldn't rule out further exits from happening, with Ahmedhodzic a superb backup plan.
